Love is a Common Enemy
by VbellaV
Summary: A princess of Archenland must seek refuge at Cair Paravel after Anvard is attacked. Her life comes to a screeching halt when tragedy strikes and unwanted promises are made. War is complicated, when in love with another. EdmundxOC Rating may change.
1. Urgency

**Disclaimer: Is my name C.S Lewis? I think not. Therefore, I do not own the Chronicles of Narnia.**

Naeve **(A/N: pronounced "Neeve")** awoke to the pale light streaming through my window, gently caressing her face, and her lady in waiting, Sloane, shaking her vigorously. She stared, confused, into her face, and her desperate eyes were all Naeve needed to shoot out of bed.

"Milady, you must leave the palace!" She whispered hurriedly. "We are under attack by Calormen, there is a carriage waiting. Hurry!"

Naeve registered what Sloane told her and shook her head. "I must fight for my country, then." She pulled a traveling dress over herself and fastened her sword to her side.

Sloane grabbed her arm. "No, milady. Fighting is for soldiers, not a princess. Please, before you get us both killed!"

Naeve would normally have planted her feet and refused to go, as stubborn as she was, but she did not want any harm to come to Sloane. She followed quickly after her lady-in-waiting, and hastily entered the carriage, pulling Sloane along with her.

"We are surely going to Cair Paravel, are we not?" Naeve asked. Sloane nodded, and Naeve sighed. "I would have liked to keep Narnia out of this. They don't need another war, especially one that is not theirs to fight."

The sun was rising higher in the sky, and both women kept looking behind them to make sure that they were not being followed. Every time, they only saw the few soldiers of theirs that came to escort them.

Naeve was instructed to put on a formal dress in order to introduce herself to the kings and queens of Narnia, so she pulled one out of her trunk of few belongings they brought with them and put it on. She reluctantly put her sword in the trunk, and placed her tiara on her dark waves. Naeve peeked at herself in her looking glass, that used to be her mother's before she died. Her sister Tegan had inherited their mother's golden curls and striking blue eyes. Naeve took after her father and had dark hair, which made her skin appear fairer than it was already, and bright green eyes.

She didn't really mind, because she wasn't into lady-like things anyways. Though her sister was a few years younger, she acted dainty like a lady, giggles and all. Naeve was 17, and could care less about suitors and parties and tea. Instead of etiquette, she trained in mastering a sword. Rather than waste her time parading around with older, achieved men, she sat with her mentor and practiced combat and riding.

Naeve frowned when she thought of her sister. _Where is she? Is she safe? _Sloane had told her that she, too was whisked away by carriage. But where?

She was forced out of her worries when trumpets sounded, announcing their arrival at Cair Paravel. The carriage slowed to a stop, and Naeve hopped out of it, ignoring the hand that was offered to her. As she entered the great hall, she heard, "Announcing Princess Naeve Siobhan Reagan of Archenland." She took a deep breath, willing herself to be able to hold her own in front of the kings and queens.

As she approached them, all descended the stone steps. High King Peter stepped towards her and she curtsied. He smiled and kissed her hand. "Welcome to Cair Paravel Princess Naeve, and my deepest regards to your situation."

She smiled. "Thank you, and please call me Naeve." she replied.

"Only if you call me Peter." He stepped back and acknowledged his siblings. "This is Susan, Edmund, and Lucy." Susan smiled warmly at her and Lucy unsurprisingly pulled her into a hug. When Naeve looked at Edmund, he just nodded indifferently. For some reason, she was miffed by this gesture, and raised her eyebrows.

Peter didn't seem to notice, and gestured toward a maid. He turned back to Naeve and said, "She will show you to your room. You will be staying in Edmund's quarters, if you don't mind, and please make yourself at home." Naeve said her thanks and followed the maid, but not before looking at Edmund's face to see his reaction. His expression switched to annoyance, and she rolled her eyes.

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She entered her room, and found her small amount of belongings to be in it already. Naeve couldn't help but smile as she looked around her. The walls were dark green, and were lined with bookshelves. Armor littered one corner of the room, and a large bed dominated the opposite corner. This room was perfect for her. Curtains marked the entry to a small balcony overlooking the Eastern Ocean. The air was cooler than the air at Anvard, and upon reaching that thought, she felt a pang of sadness. _I should've stayed. My duty is to my country, not hiding out in a neighboring one._

Naeve jumped when she heard a slight knock at the door. "Come in."

The same maid that brought her stood in the doorway, and timidly said, "Their majesties request your presence in the conference room to discuss plans of war." Naeve sighed. _So it has come to this._

**Ok, so now that I've gotten all of the intro stuff done, I can move onto the story**

**Please review and tell me what you think!**

**VbellaV**


	2. Fury

Naeve made her way to the conference room, and all stood up when she entered. She smiled half-heartedly and sat down with them.

Peter cleared his throat and started. "Naeve, as a leader of your country, we want to discuss our plans of action with you. We will aid your country, and ride out to battle against Calormen. Of course we will have to notify your father, the King, but I'm sure that he will need all the help he can get."

Naeve shook her head slowly. "Oh, Aslan. I wish you wouldn't have to do this. I know it's what's best for Archenland, but you have enough to handle on your own without worrying about us." She shuddered when she thought of her father, forced to carry on alone.

Susan shook her head, and Lucy piped up, "It's the right thing to do." Peter looked at his brother.

"Ed?" Edmund just nodded, and got up from the table with an, "excuse me." Susan glared after her brother.

"You'll have to excuse him. I'm sorry," She apologized.

Peter stood up and concluded, "We ride out in two days time to aid Archenland."

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Naeve returned to her room, changed into her traveling dress, and again fastened her sword to her side. She headed out to the stables, and her mare Fallon whinnied when she saw her. Naeve smiled and hoisted herself up. Due to her riding lessons, she was able to ride bareback easily.

She guided her horse into the woods, and a man's voice startled her.

"The woods are not a safe place for you at the moment." Naeve turned around and saw Edmund on his horse, Phillip.

She glared at him and replied, "I think I can manage, thank you." She then turned her horse back around and started to trot away.

She heard him say, "Suit yourself." Her hair whipped across her face as Edmund and Phillip raced past her. Anger coursed through her and she and Fallon galloped after them. She caught up quite easily, and turned her horse so that she was blocking his path. Edmund screeched to a halt and sighed.

"What have I _ever _done to _you_?" she spit out through her teeth.

He eyed her for a moment, and replied with a shrug, "Nothing, why?" Naeve felt her face heat up and she narrowed her eyes.

"Then do you always treat your guests with malice? And they call you the _Just_ King..." she huffed.

"Is that any way to talk to a King?" He questioned, a trace of humor in his eyes.

Naeve was taken aback, but shot back, "Well, maybe I'll start treating you like a King when you start acting like one." She tapped Fallon in the side, and they raced ahead. She rolled her eyes when she heard hooves coming up behind them.

"Have a fiery temper, do we?" She stared over at him, galloping next to her.

"What's it to you?" she asked him, feeling a bit like a child.

"I was just wondering why you aren't taking it out against Calormen." He added. Naeve's eyes widened in shock, and she came to an abrupt halt. Edmund stopped a few yards after her, and turned around to face her.

"Is that why you've been so spiteful towards me? You think that I've _abandoned_ my country?" She didn't wait for an answer. Naeve was furious. "For your _information_, I was brought here against my will. I wanted to stay and fight, but I was told that fighting is for soldiers, not princesses. And here I always figured that you'd be _smart_..." She trailed off.

Edmund stared at her, slightly amused because of her small rant, and slightly pissed off because of her accusal, not that it wasn't true.

"Well," he began curtly, "if you want to go back so much, then why don't you?" he asked her. Naeve was even more infuriated, if that was possible, and hissed, "Well, I just bloody well might." With that, she nudged Fallon and she galloped away.

"Naeve..." Edmund began, but by then she was just a cloud of dust. He sighed, and galloped after her.

**Next chapter will be up later today... sorry this one was so short  
**

**Thanks Sky-Pirate325 for the review!!**

**And I do know that this plot has been done many times, but I'm going to make it different, I promise!!**

**Please review**

**VbellaV**


	3. Forewarned

Edmund rode on, and stopped abruptly when he saw Fallon standing, with no Naeve. He turned on the spot when he heard the sound of clanking metal coming from the East. He grabbed his sword, dismounted Phillip and sprinted toward the ruckus.

He entered a clearing, and it took him a minute to fully understand what was going on. There were three brutally large men in armor, swords slashing at the victim: a small fierce girl who also had her sword drawn. Naeve.

He unsheathed his sword, and stabbed an attacker in his side, a small spot that his armor did not conceal. Naeve took the surprise to her advantage, and overpowered one of the men. When he was on his knees, she slashed his throat showing no mercy or a backwards glance.

The last attacker seemed to realize his dilemma when he saw that it was now two against one, a soldier versus a king of Narnia and a princess of Archenland. Edmund closed in, but to the man's surprise, Naeve called him off.

"This is not your fight." She stated simply, and to her surprise, Edmund nodded and backed off. The man smiled when he saw that his main fear was eliminated. Though she was a princess, and a strong one at that, she was still a girl. Easy.

Not.

Edmund watched as Naeve and the soldier circled one another, a smug look on his face, and one of pure concentration on hers. The soldier closed in quickly and delivered a hard blow, but Naeve braced against it easily. He seemed to remember that Naeve had no armor on, and went to deliver a low strike. With an expert twist of her wrist, the soldier's sword flicked out of his left hand but he caught it with his right. He smiled as her expression somewhat hardened.

Edmund tensed on the sideline as he saw the resolve light up in the soldier's eyes, and he charged in, closing the space between them.

The true fight had begun.

Naeve was a flash of blue as she skillfully dodged the heavy, deathly blows he thrust upon her. It was hard for her, because she had no shield, unlike him. She knew that it would be of no use to play the offensive, because he would just block her strikes, and she would, most likely, destroy her sword. He became frustrated and swung his heavy sword faster.

She took blow after blow, too fast to dodge, blocking them with nothing but her sword, and Edmund knew that the soldier was trying to tire her out. Naeve took a chance, and swiped at his leg, slashing his calves. He howled in pain and Edmund sighed in relief. His relief was, however, short lived, when Naeve didn't bring her sword fully up in time for the next blow. The force of it knocked her on the ground.

Naeve understood that she had no chance in this position, and the impacts were too frequent to be able to stand up again without his sword slashing her to bits. In a moment of panic, she shot a look at Edmund, who rushed out to aid her.

The soldier looked up to see Edmund flying at him, and remembered his training. He did what all Calormen soldiers are trained to do: sacrifice himself to fulfill an order. Knowing it would be the end of his own life, he turned to Naeve instead of the oncoming danger and plunged his sword into her stomach, an action he knew she was not expecting. He smiled in triumph, and the last thing his ears ever heard was the gurgled scream of the woman he was sent to kill.

Edmund removed his sword from the soldier and knelt beside Naeve who was clutching her stomach. He cringed as he looked at the injury, remembering his own that had been delivered by the White Witch 7 years earlier.

"_Damn_it, why can't we all have a bloody horn like Susan?" Edmund muttered to himself. He lifted the whimpering girl into his arms and whistled for Phillip. Phillip trotted over, with Fallon following close behind. He placed her carefully on his horse, then pulled himself up behind her. He ripped a piece of his shirt off and held it against the wound in order to help slow the bleeding. He wrapped his other arm around her waist, holding her to him, and asked Phillip to get them back to the castle. Fast.

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Edmund ran into the castle, carrying Naeve who was quite literally pouring blood. Susan was the first one of his siblings he encountered. She stared at her in shock, then back at Edmund.

"Aslan, Ed! Did you hate her so much that you stabbed her?"

Edmund glared at his sister, but the only thing he could think of to say was "Lucy." Susan sprinted up the stairs, and returned a few seconds later with the youngest of the Pevensies. Lucy gasped, and threw herself to Naeve's side. She gave her a drop from her cordial and all four (as Peter had walked in, but stayed silent) watched as the convulsions slowed, then stopped all together. Naeve took a deep breath and opened her eyes slightly. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief and Naeve said shakily, "I could have had him..." before her eyes closed again and she fell fast asleep in Edmund's arms. Three of them chuckled, but Edmund stayed silent, staring at the sleeping girl in wonder.

**The next chapter might be up late tonight, but it honestly depends how tired I get to be.**

**Thanks to Fegli for the feedback!**

**Please review guys! I know it gets to be really annoying when authors ask you to review all the time, but I would really like to know what you think.**


	4. The Magic of an Epiphany

Edmund sat in his library, looking at a book, but not comprehending the words. Instead, his mind drifted to Naeve. _I thought I had her figured out from the minute she walked through the door._ Edmund was usually very good at understanding people, but this girl had him mystified. He'd had her placed as the dainty princess type who, though she cared about her people, would not run out to aid them in the greatest time of need. He had expected her to be the damsel in distress type that had come to the castle for refuge or help like many before her.

He was wrong.

He remembered when he first saw Naeve. She was beautiful, he'd given her that much, but his judgement had already been made before her carriage reached Cair Paravel.

Edmund stared at his book, but then snapped it shut with annoyance, realizing that it was useless to try and concentrate. He thought back to the happenings in the woods, remembering his shock at her words, and ultimately her actions. She talked to him like he was a person, not a king, something that no one had ever done besides those close to him. He knew then that he had misjudged her, but what shocked him even more was when she called him out on it:

"_I was just wondering why you aren't taking it out against Calormen."_

"_Is that why you've been so spiteful towards me? You think that I've _abandoned _my country? For your_ information_, I was brought here against my will. I wanted to stay and fight, but I was told that fighting is for soldiers, not princesses. And here I always figured that you'd be _smart_..."_

As Edmund remembered that and the events that followed, he felt a sense of guilt. At her words, he had felt somewhat amused, but greatly annoyed. He was annoyed mostly that he was wrong, and also that she confronted him about it. Keeping his voice controlled, he had asked her why she didn't want to go back.

Edmund cringed as he remembered the fire in her eyes set ablaze as he said that, and how she then rode away in fury. He knew that if he had just kept his annoyance to himself, Naeve would never have been hurt. Then, he thought about the fight. Not only was he amazed to see how good of a fighter she was, a smart fighter over all else, but also when she called him off. They both understood that the soldier had the unfair advantage, due to the fact that he was in full armor, shield and sword while she was in nothing but the fabric of her dress with one sword.

Naeve wasn't even a cocky fighter, like Peter and Edmund. She knew that she could not finish him off alone, and rather than let her pride drag her on, she shot a message to Edmund through her eyes to help.

Edmund put his book back on the bookshelf, and when he left the room, he felt an entirely different feeling for the princess:

Respect.

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Naeve woke in a very comfortable bed, to the sea breeze sweeping through the room and the moonlight casting magnificent shadows. She smiled to herself, and went to sit up. She gasped and fell back into the pillows when she felt a terrible ache in her middle. The events of the day came crashing back down on her and she sighed. _The Calormen army knows that I am here._ Naeve knew she had to get up, so she fought the pain, swung her legs over the side of the bed, and walked very carefully out of the room, being sure not to wake Sloane who was asleep in a chair.

She walked slowly, but jumped a mile when she felt someone tap her on the shoulder. The move triggered the pain, and she doubled over, clutching her stomach. Strong arms wrapped around her waist, and supported her weight.

"Sorry!" She heard the man say. She knew that voice. Her head whipped around to look at him, and her eyes narrowed.

"You." She said through her teeth, partly because of the pain, and partly because of her anger. She took a deep breath and stood up. "I can walk on my own thank you." Naeve took a step and winced. Edmund raised his eyebrows.

"You sure about that?" He questioned. She sighed in defeat.

"Not really." She admitted. "But I'd rather face the pain than have you for an escort."

He chuckled. "You do realize that there are stairs coming up?"

_Damn. I forgot about those._ Naeve glared at him, then sank to the floor. "You know what? I think I'll just stay here."

Edmund shook his head. "Not a chance." He stooped down, and lifted her easily into his arms for the second time that day.

Naeve yelled and thrashed and threatened, but gave up after the pain just worsened. She eventually looked at him and crossed her arms.

"You're such an arrogant prat, you know that, right?" She accused. Edmund sighed.

"I actually wanted to apologize for that." Naeve looked at him in disbelief.

"King Edmund the Just is _apologizing_?" she asked, dubious. He glared at her.

"I have been known to do that from time to time, you know, with me being _just_ and all." She rolled her eyes. He took a breath. "I just thought you were someone that you aren't. You obviously figured out that I thought that, and I was just annoyed with myself for being wrong. So, I figured, being such an arrogant prat, that I should apologize."

By now they had reached the bottom of the stairs, and he lightly set her on her feet. Naeve looked him over once, then gave a tiny "Hmm" and walked away, slowly.

**Sorry I didn't update last night! Also, I wanted to let you guys know that I'm going to be gone from Friday to Wednesday, so I won't be able to update then. I'm going to try and get as much done before I leave as possible, though.**

**Next chapter might be up tonight or tomorrow.**

**Tell me what you think!**


	5. Bygones Part 1

**Part 1**

Naeve entered the conference room, where three of the Pevensies were waiting for her, Edmund walking silently behind her. All three smiled at her and gave her a hug, lightly.

"I'm so glad you're all right!" Susan said as she hugged her.

"We all are." Peter added, looking at Edmund. Edmund rolled his eyes. Naeve smiled and gently sat down.

"Calormen knows I'm here." She sighed. "This could mess up your battle plan."

Peter's brow furrowed. "Hmm. That's true. Now that they know you're here, they must assume that you came to ask for aid. Well we lost the surprise factor, but the plan is still the same."

Edmund spoke up. "Well, if they know that we will be riding out against them, won't they twist our idea into their own? They could be, at this very moment, on their way here to catch _us_ by surprise." Peter's eyes widened slightly and he opened his mouth to speak, but Susan beat him to it to be the voice of reason.

"Yes, but they wouldn't just abandon their post. It doesn't make sense."

Naeve thought for a moment. "They wouldn't abandon their post. I hate to admit it, but Edmund is right." She stole a glance at him, and he looked smug. "I know first-hand that our army is nothing to that of Calormen's. They will leave as few of their men as they can at Anvard, and use the rest to march here. They know that your army poses a greater threat than ours, so it would be an advantage to them to catch you by surprise."

Everyone fell silent until Lucy muttered, "Who would've though Calormen could be so _smart_." Naeve giggled in spite of herself, followed by Susan. Peter was deep in thought, and Edmund was smiling to himself. _Probably basking in his own glory_, Naeve thought.

"Naeve, did you happen to notice how many Calormen soldiers there were?" Peter asked.

"Yes, I actually counted them as I was running for my life to the carriage." Naeve shot on instinct. Peter looked taken aback, and Edmund burst out laughing. Lucy and Susan tried to muffle theirs with their hands.

"What's so funny?" Naeve asked, staring at Edmund clutching his sides on the floor.

"No one," -gasp- "has ever even," -snort- "_blinked_ at the _High King_" -choke- "disrespectfully." Edmund managed to sputter out.

Peter's face turned red with effort, and then he, too, burst out laughing. "I'll take that," -gasp- "as a no."

As soon as all had calmed down, Peter led the way into the dining hall.

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After the dinner feast, a guard was established to keep watch for intruders. Naeve said her goodnights and went upstairs, due to the fact that walking was no longer hard labor. She was sitting on the bed when the door was flung open. Naeve gasped and jumped, and the sudden movement sent her tumbling to the floor. She heard laughing from the doorway, and turned her head to glare at the owner.

Edmund was striding towards her, trying to muffle his laughter. He choked out a sorry, and held out a hand to help her. She ignored it, and pulled herself back on her feet by the bedpost.

"Don't you knock?" She asked him, clearly pissed. An emotion that strengthened when he smirked.

"Well, technically, I don't have to, seeing as how it's really _my_ quarters." He answered, simply. She rolled her eyes, then grabbed her pillow and the bedspread and carried them out of the room. He followed her as she walked down the hallway. "Where are you going?" he asked.

"I'm going to ask Lucy if I can stay in her room. You know what, it works out because I like her better anyways."

Edmund shook his head in disbelief. "I did apologize, correct?" Naeve turned her face back towards him.

"You did." He raised his eyebrows expectantly.

"So I take it you have not forgiven me?" Naeve stopped, and again turned her face back.

"I did forgive you." This took him by surprise.

"So do you treat all of your hosts with malice?" he asked, quoting her line she gave him earlier.

"No. I just don't like you." she said as she started walking away again. Then, he got a little annoyed. He walked faster until he strode next to her.

"Look, you don't actually have a reason to not like me, because after I apologized I have been nothing but nice to you."

**Sorry about the wait! I didn't actually finish this chapter but I wanted to leave you guys with SOMETHING tonight, so this is only the first part. Bear with me!**


	6. Other Future Updates

Hey Everyone!

I'm really sorry that I haven't updated yet, and I want to warn you that my updates will be less frequent because I'm on vacation. I do have access to a computer, but I can't be on it 24/7 like I normally am. The next chapter will be up in a few days. Thanks!

VbellaV

P.S. Thanks to NarnianFairyPirateAtTwilight for catching the typo! I actually started out writing the story in first person, but went back and changed it because I wanted to display the feelings of other characters with an un-biased view. I guess I missed that one, so thank you for pointing that out!


	7. Bygones Part 2

_"Look, you don't actually have a reason to not like me, because after I apologized I have been nothing but nice to you."_

Naeve raised her eyebrows. "Really? I didn't realize that you antagonizing me was you being _nice_. Sorry." she said, acidly. Edmund rolled his eyes. He grabbed her arm and spun her around.

"Hey, I just wanted to give you something." he explained, looking down. Naeve looked at him in shock.

"Oh." she said softly, looking at the ground also. Edmund unsheathed the sword at his side and held it out to her. "Dear Aslan!" she whispered. Naeve looked up at Edmund with wide eyes, and gently lifted the sword out of his hands, dropping her bedding.

"Yours is broken, so I figured that you'd need a new one for the battle." he mumbled.

The sword was beautiful. The steel was strong, and the hilt had some kind of emerald colored gemstones set in it. It was by far the best sword that she'd ever touched. Naeve looked back up at him, unable to speak.

"I had it made by dwarfs earlier, so it should be able to withstand more than your old one."

Naeve, without thinking, held the sword in one hand and threw her arms around him. Edmund stiffened, but then awkwardly wrapped his arms around her waist. After a few seconds, she seemed to find her head and removed her arms, dropping her gaze to the floor while clearing her throat. Edmund smiled.

"I'll take that as a thank you." He leaned down and picked up her comforter and pillow, then started back to the room. Naeve followed him wordlessly. He put them back on her bed and turned back to her. She was leaning on the doorframe scrutinizing him carefully. Edmund started to feel self-conscious and felt the blood rush to his face. "What?"

Naeve met his eyes curiously. "I'm trying to figure you out." He raised his eyebrows.

"Are you having any luck?"

Naeve sighed. "No, not really. First, you are completely horrible to me." Edmund shrugged, allowing that. "Second, you save my life and then apologize to me for being an ass. Now, you give me the best present I have ever received in my entire life. I honestly don't understand." Naeve shook her head in confusion.

"It's actually not that complicated. First, I didn't like you. Then I apologized for not liking you. Now, I'm hoping to redeem myself for not liking you by giving you a sword, something that you will actually need quite soon, I might add." He masked his face with a serious expression, and watched her reaction. Naeve was shocked by his simplicity, and burst out laughing. Edmund's amusement broke through and he chuckled. "You know what? That's the first time you've smiled at me since you've gotten to know me."

Naeve smiled again. "I think you were being unintentionally funny. And now we're on better terms." Edmund raised his eyebrows again.

"Are we?"

"Well, technically I _am_ sleeping in your bed…"

Edmund rolled his eyes. "Yes, well don't defile it." Naeve gasped and threw her pillow at him as he ducked out of the door.

**Sorry for the wait, everybody! Next chapter up tomorrow. **

**Thanks to Jack-chan88 for all of the reviews!!**


	8. Unhealthy Relationship

Naeve felt someone shaking her awake, and regretfully opened her eyes. Sloane was standing over her, like she had the morning before. Naeve groaned and buried her face in the pillow.

"Miss, his Majesty King Edmund has requested that you join him in the training area at once." Sloane whispered urgently. Naeve rolled her eyes. Was he determined to make her dislike him? She sat up, now focused on confronting him.

"Did his _Majesty_ say anything _else_?" she asked through her teeth. Sloane pointed toward her armor laying on the bed.

"He wants you to suit up in full armor." she stated. Naeve sighed, and together, her and Sloane put it on, piece by piece. Naeve lifted up the helmet but then tossed it back on the bed, not bothering to put it on. She then found her new sword, and secured it to her side. With another sigh, she turned on her heel and stomped out the door.

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Edmund was waiting for her, of course, and he was also in full armor. Seeing him with his smug expression angered her, and she stormed over to him.

"Do you think that you can just demand that I do anything you bloody please? That I can be summoned like some domesticated _pet_?" Edmund looked taken aback, but then controlled his features.

"Apparently so, seeing as how you're standing in front of me." he shot back. Naeve's eyes widened, and she felt the blood run to her face.

_Damnit_, she thought. She opened her mouth to retort, but she couldn't think of anything to say. Edmund smiled and shook his head.

"I just want to help you. You should get used to your sword before you use it in battle, you know." He smiled, condescendingly. Naeve looked up at the sky.

"And the point of doing this at the crack of dawn would be…" she trailed off, eying him.

He rolled his eyes. "We don't know when the Calormen army is going to arrive, obviously." Again, she opened her mouth to retort, but nothing came out. "Not very quick today, are we?" he asked her, laughing. She didn't actually get a chance to respond, as he drew his sword and stepped toward her. Naeve carefully unsheathed hers, and adjusted her grip.

Edmund had the upper hand; he'd seen her fight before, whereas Naeve had no idea what his fighting style was like. He looked at her, knowing that she would wait for him to strike. He quickly closed the space and swung low, feeling the vibration as her sword met his by the ground.

"What, no helmet?" he asked her as he lifted his sword.

"It's heavy, and I don't need it right now." she answered, lifting hers also. Edmund snorted.

"Oh, because that's going to help you in battle." He looked at her and continued in a mocking voice, "Oh, excuse me? Sir, could you not try to decapitate me? I don't want to wear my helmet because it's too heavy."

She glared at him, and he swung his sword again. He repeatedly administered blows, blocked every time by her always ready blade. Edmund kept up his pattern, and was satisfied to see her mistake appear once again. Naeve was growing tired. He began to move faster, eventually faster than she could block. Her weariness prevented her from matching his pace, and he twisted his wrist and watched her sword fly out of her hand. He brought his blade to her neck, and his intense gaze met her tired one.

"You would be dead." he whispered in a low voice, his face only centimeters from hers. She felt a burst of adrenaline at his words, and she brought her face even closer, their lips almost touching.

Her eyes stayed locked with his, and she whispered, "Not yet." In one swift motion, she gripped his right arm and twisted it around while bending his wrist backwards, causing his fingers to lose their grip on the sword. She took it, and brought it up to his neck, quickly turning the tables. "Don't think you know all my moves." Naeve smiled victoriously and threw his sword down.

She backed up and picked up her own discarded sword. Edmund looked at her, his expression somewhat thoughtful.

"Impressive. However, you can't get that close to a Calormen soldier, as you know." Naeve shrugged, her strength somewhat returned. "You fight intelligently, but because of that, your offense is lacking. You've got a strong defense, but one can only take so many blows before wearing out. Try concentrating on fast offensive strikes when battling these men. They rely on their brute strength, so they are expecting a defensive opponent. The fast strikes will throw them off."

Naeve gawked at him, and he gave her a quizzical look. "What?" he asked. She shook her head.

"You really sounded like a king right there." He smiled, breaking his intense look.

"Yeah, I get that sometimes."

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After three hours, Naeve was dripping with sweat and smiling evilly at a very determined Edmund. She had refused to stop until she beat him, and he assured her frequently that it wouldn't happen. She was about to prove him wrong.

His advice, to her dismay, had actually worked. Not that it wasn't good, it just meant that he was right. It is, after all, _very _dangerous to tell men they are right. She attacked at random moments, and caught him off guard many times. No longer were they being careful with one another, they had become too wrapped up in the fight.

Naeve backed up, suddenly, and thought. His defense is too good for a blunt attack, but her random offense was giving her a clear advantage.

Edmund was watching her, and saw the resolve light up in her eyes. It surprised him as she stepped forward quickly and forced a few jabs. He blocked them easily, and went to give one of his own. Shock went through his body as she twisted swiftly out of the way while delivering a blow at the same time.

He yelped as he felt a sharp pain run through his leg. Naeve gasped and dropped her sword as a crimson color weaved its way through Edmund's brown trousers. He dropped to the ground, and took his helmet off to see the wound clearly. Naeve also fell to the ground, eyes wide. He narrowed his eyes at her, accusingly.

"You stabbed me!" he said, shock in the tremors of his voice.

"Oh, Aslan! I'm so sorry!" she whispered, her voice shaking. He ripped off a strip of his tunic, and wrapped it around his leg, tying it tightly.

"I need Lucy." he sighed, wincing. "Help me up." Naeve picked up her sword and saw the blood, striking red against the silver steel. "Always wipe the blood off." he instructed her, shortly. She obeyed, and wiped it on the grass. She then put his arm around her shoulder and placed her arm around his waist, and heaved him up. She struggled against his weight, but managed to half-walk/half-drag him into the castle.

They ran into Susan, who stared wide-eyed at the scenario in front of her.

"What happened this time?" she asked, looking from face to face.

"She stabbed me." Edmund answered, with some obvious effort to keep the pain out of his voice. Susan shook her head.

"You guys really have it in for each other, don't you?" She sighed, and said, "Well, I'll go get Lucy."

**Next chapter up soon-ish. Please tell me what you think! **

**VbellaV**


	9. Reasoning

Naeve paused at the large wooden door in an attempt to collect her thoughts, then knocked lightly.

"Come in." his bored voice answered. She hesitantly opened the door to reveal a half-naked Edmund. Her eyes widened in surprise as she took in his perfectly muscled chest and stomach, toned in all of the right places. He turned toward Naeve, and rolled his eyes. "Come to gloat, have you?" he asked her, trying to sound nonchalant. Of course she could detect the annoyance hinting through. Naeve saw his wounded ego practically shining out of his eyes.

She bit her lip, and stared at the ground. Edmund sunk into his bed.

"Apparently not." he said, answering his own question. Naeve sighed and looked back into his eyes, finding that they had become curious, awaiting her answer.

"I just wanted to apologize." she admitted, shuffling her feet.

"For what? Learning how to fight?" he asked, shocked.

"I stabbed you, in case you forgot." Edmund shook his head, and patted a spot on the bed, signaling her to sit. Perhaps it was because of where he was seated, but her eyes flickered to his bare torso once again. Unfortunately, this time, he noticed.

"Are you intimidated by my topless self?" he challenged, humor evident in his features. She rolled her eyes and obliged him, walking across the room.

He started again. "Don't apologize. It happens. You shouldn't be sorry that you figured out a way to win. God, you should've seen it one time while I was practicing with Peter. He was sidetracked or something, and I almost chopped his arm off." He laughed and Naeve joined him, discovering randomly that they laughed in harmony.

Naeve suddenly remembered something that he said a few moments earlier and stopped laughing, narrowing her eyes in accusation. Edmund leaned away a little bit, feigning fear.

"For your _information_, I did know how to fight." Edmund groaned, and lay back on his bed.

"Yes, but your skills wouldn't have done anything for you in this fight, and you know it," he said, earning a glare from Naeve, "so I helped you."

Naeve turned toward him slowly, and asked, "Why _did_ you help me?" She watched as his expression turned from surprise, due to the actual question, to one of concentration. He propped himself up on one elbow, and his brow furrowed.

"I don't…know." he answered, truthfully.

"I'm not sure if I should take offense to that or not." Edmund smiled, and his chocolate eyes met her emerald ones.

"Hang on, I'm trying to form a logical reason." She raised her eyebrows and waited. Finally, he answered, a guarded look in his eyes.

"I think…it's because you are in the most danger than all of us put together, and I couldn't watch you die in battle knowing that I could have done something to prevent it from happening." Naeve felt her face fall, and saw Edmund try to decipher her reaction.

"So it's basically about you. And here I figured that you may have actually cared about my well-being…" Edmund shot up, pulling himself up next to her, hurt lingering on every feature. He placed his hands on either side of her face, forcing her to look at him.

"Of course I care about your well-being, Naeve! If I didn't give a damn, I wouldn't have even _bothered_ helping you train. Plus, you're the only person around here who can put up with me, and at the same time put me back in my place." Edmund removed his hands, but Naeve was still unable to turn her head, to break what felt like an intense staring contest.

Naeve was shocked, and Edmund was still radiating hurt. Finally she took a deep breath, and hugged him, barely allowing him to breathe. She felt his tension lift as he lightly placed his arms around her.

"I'm sorry," she whispered in his ear. "I didn't mean to offend you." She detached herself from him and smiled, relieved to see him smiling, too.

"It's alright, I know it probably didn't come out right the first time anyways."

"Jeez, Ed, I didn't even know you liked me." she admitted. Edmund stared at her in disbelief.

"I gave you a sword. I carried you on my horse all the way from the woods back to the Cair, while you were bleeding profusely all over my clothes. You didn't think I even _liked_ you after I did all of that?" He chuckled, and Naeve was thoughtful.

"Hmm. Maybe it was just _my_ strong dislike for _you_ blinding my judgment." she answered in a teasing tone. Edmund glared at her.

"Strong dislike?"

Naeve didn't get to answer, because the next sound they heard was the one of thundering trumpets from outside. Naeve and Edmund looked at each other, both thinking the same thing, simultaneously: _The battle has begun._

**Please review, guys! My set goal is only 50 reviews, and I'm already halfway there.**

**VbellaV**


	10. Blood

Naeve threw open her door, her light armor in place, and found a fully dressed Edmund standing there waiting. His eyes were frantic as he grabbed her hand, and together they sprinted down the corridor. They met the three other Pevensies down the stairs: Peter in full armor, Susan with her bow and arrows, and Lucy with her cordial. Peter signaled Edmund to follow him out to meet the Narnian army that had assembled promptly. Instead of obeying like Naeve expected, he turned towards her.

"Be safe, alright?" he asked her. She nodded, unable to say anything. He turned towards his sisters, and nodded at them solemnly. Lucy gave him a hug, which he returned, then he swiftly walked out after the High King.

Naeve stared after him, and felt her heart sink as he walked away, realizing that it may have been the last time she'd ever speak to him. _I absolutely despised him yesterday, and now I feel like this? Like he's my best friend? _She put her hands to her temples and tried to clear her head. Susan put her hand on Naeve's shoulder, concern in her eyes. Naeve did her best to smile at her, and assured her that she was fine. She took a breath, and then her and Susan walked the way that Peter and Edmund had: out to battle.

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Naeve cried out in pain as the hilt of a sword smashed into her skull. Somewhere along the line, she'd lost her helmet. She felt the crimson heat roll down her face and attempted to wipe it away, while slashing at a brutally large soldier. A blow came at her from behind, knocking her on her stomach at the soldier's feet. Pain ripped across her back as if she'd been whipped a hundred times. She groaned as she rolled over, just in time to see the Calormene's sword fly down to meet her chest. She cringed, waiting for the impact that would end her life, but none came. She opened her eyes slowly to see Edmund furiously fighting the same soldier that would have been responsible for her death. The enemy went down easily, and Edmund ran back to her side.

"Naeve! NAEVE! Can you hear me?" he asked frantically. She nodded. Her eyes widened in fear as she saw a soldier come up from behind Edmund, and raise his sword. Edmund turned around and stabbed him promptly, never letting him hit his target. He looked back at Naeve and said, "I learned that trick from you." She tried to twist her mouth up in a smile, but she was sure it looked more like a grimace. Edmund leaned down, and slipped his arm underneath her. He lifted her torso into a sitting position, and she whimpered in pain. "C'mon, Naeve!" Edmund grabbed the back of her neck with his free hand, again forcing her to look at him. "Naeve, listen to me! You have to stand up! We have to get you help!" Naeve looked back into his wild eyes, and knew that he was risking everything at this very moment to help her. By doing this, he was making himself completely vulnerable. She responded by clutching his shoulder and attempting to pull herself up. He pulled her the rest of the way, and supported most of her weight.

Arrows and spears flew through the air, and soldiers slashed at them randomly, intent on pain. Naeve did her best to place one foot in front of another, with occasional words of motivation by Edmund. She hated herself for being so weak, for making him such an easy target. She wanted to yell at him to leave her for dead so he could save himself. They were both easy targets, and miracles occurred over and over as each deathly blow, each sharp point, missed them by centimeters every time.

Naeve's blurred vision showed Peter engaged in heavy combat with three soldiers, and she caught a glimpse of Susan attacking from afar, safe from immediate danger. Her eyes started to sting, and her vision darkened. She clutched onto Edmund and gasped.

"Ed, I can't see." she choked out. She felt his fingers brush across her face, trying to wipe the blood away. He stopped when he found that it just kept flowing, and tightened his grip on her, leading her while she stumbled blindly forward.

They reached the tent, and Edmund laid Naeve down on a cot. He could do nothing but watch as the red of her blood wove its way through the white of the cot.

"Ed, I'm sorry. So, so sorry." she whimpered, still grasping his arm. He shushed her and wiped the blood-mixed tears from her face. "I tried." He broke out of her death-grip, and took her hand in his.

Lucy came running over, and gasped when she saw the mangled form of Naeve curled up on the cot. She took out her cordial and gave her a drop immediately. She then turned to Edmund.

"Ed, you need to go back out there. She'll be fine." He shook his head.

"I can't."

Lucy sighed and placed her hands on his shoulders.

"Narnia needs you more than she does, Edmund. She's going to be alright." Edmund looked at Lucy, and she saw his defense fall. After all, he wasn't the _Just_ King for nothing. He took a last look at Naeve and walked out of the tent.

Before he was out of earshot, he heard a faint voice:

"Be safe, Edmund." he heard Naeve whisper.

**Review!**


	11. Love and Tears

Edmund was, quite literally, fighting for his life. Two soldiers were attacking him, forcing him to be on the defensive at all times. He was not, however, thinking about the danger in front of him, but rather a broken girl. Naeve's picture kept flashing in his eyes, of her rolling over to meet her death, blood rolling down her face and back, covering her clothes, eyes bright with determination then resignation. An angel in the form of Peter came to his rescue, and slaughtered one of the soldiers. Together, brother and brother ended the life of the other one. Peter turned to Edmund, concern lighting his eyes.

"Ed, what's the matter with you?" he shouted as he stabbed another soldier who was running by.

"Nothing." Edmund answered, swinging at someone, but missed.

"You're fighting like someone just killed mom, Edmund." he pressed. Edmund didn't answer, he just tightened his lips into a hard line.

"Whatever your problem is, you need to focus. Please. For us. For Naeve." Edmund turned to Peter in shock. "I heard what you said to her before we left." he hinted. Edmund rolled his eyes and shrugged, then swung at someone else, actually hitting him.

"So? She's a friend." Peter smirked.

"I never said she was anything more, Ed." That moment, trumpets sounded, and three men on white horses trotted up to the front lines of the Calormene army. The leader dismounted, and both Peter and Edmund saw him carrying an olive branch. Narnians cheered, and Edmund sighed in relief.

The Kings walked up to meet the man and both armies went silent, like they meant to be some sort of obvious eavesdroppers.

"The Tisroc, may he live forever, and Prince Rabadash of Tashbaan agree to end this battle, but on one condition."

"Condition?" Edmund sneered. "They think _they_ have power over _us_?" Peter put a hand on his shoulder.

"What is this condition that you speak of?" he asked, calmly.

"The Tisroc, may he live forever, wishes to give his son Rabadash Princess Naeve of Archenland's hand in marriage."

Edmund snorted and Peter sighed.

"Well, why don't we ask Princess Naeve, then?" Edmund said smugly. He turned on the spot when he heard a woman's voice.

"You don't have to, I'm right here." Naeve was walking towards them, already having been back in battle. She removed her helmet (that she had recovered) and her long hair fell over her shoulders. Both the messenger and Edmund were taken aback: the messenger because he'd never heard of a princess fighting, and Edmund because of the condition he'd seen her in last. His emotions changed to anger. _She was almost killed, and Lucy let her back out onto the field? _Peter was unchanged by this event, as he did not see Naeve struck down.

Naeve looked at Peter, who shook his head, telling her with his eyes that she did not have to accept just to end the battle. Naeve stared the messenger in the eye, and continued. "You may tell Tisroc that I appreciate the gesture, but must gladly decline due to the fact that his son is a bloody tyrant and has no respect for my country."

Edmund and Peter both stared at her open-mouthed. The messenger, however, smiled menacingly. "The Tisroc, may he live forever, would like you to know that the life of your sister depends on your answer." Naeve felt her face mold into an expression of horror.

"And what of my father?" she asked, in a dead voice. The messenger's smile broadened.

"Why, milady, poor chap's already dead." Naeve went numb, losing all control of her motor functions. Edmund was by her side in an instant, catching her as she collapsed in front of two armies who were silent as the doldrums. Her eyes were open, but she seemed nearly catatonic. She surprised everyone when she spoke:

"Call off the battle, I accept."

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Edmund took Naeve back to the castle on his horse, due to the fact that she was unable to ride in her state of mind. Not that he was complaining…

He pinned her against himself as he rode, holding tight on the reins with one hand. She kept a hold on the arm around her, silent tears rolling down her cheeks. As they passed, Narnians everywhere bowed in sympathy and gratefulness to Naeve for having ended the battle.

When they reached Cair Paravel, Edmund lifted her off of Phillip, and carried her to her room. He sat her on the bed, and she curled herself into a little ball and laid down. She closed her eyes, but that didn't stop the tears from falling. Edmund placed a hand on her shoulder and then left the room, letting her be.

It wasn't five minutes when he heard a quiet knock at his door. He opened it to reveal a quivering, sobbing Naeve. She entered, and he closed the door behind her.

"Oh, Naeve." he whispered, and took her into his arms. "I'm so sorry." All he got in reply was a choked sob. He held her tightly, trying to ease the quakes that shook her body. They stayed like that for a while, until the tears, though they did not stop falling, eased up. He slowly released her, and put his hands on her face. "You don't have to go through with this… we can think of some other way to get your sister back." Naeve shook her head.

"I-I can't take that chance, Ed." she explained, pain evident in her eyes. "And this way, everything works out. The battle is over so no more lives have to be taken unnecessarily, including my Tegan's, and Rabadash gets a wife. Everybody's happy." Naeve wiped her eyes.

"Everybody except you, Naeve." he said, softly. She gave him a small, teary smile.

"I will surrender my happiness to save the lives of others." Edmund stared at her, amazed by the selflessness that was showing through: the true Naeve.

He had judged her wrongly, not once, but twice. First, when he first met her, he had assumed that she was a selfish girl, putting her own safety before that of her people. Next, after he had gotten to know her, he figured her the strong type, one who would fight for her people, but was also emotionally-impulsive (like he himself was). But then, staring into her eyes, he truly knew her. She would not fight for her people, she would die for them. She loved her country fiercely, and love happened to be one of the emotions that drove her forward. She was strong because she had to be. For her. For Archenland.

Edmund looked at her the next second, and her appearance had completely changed. No longer was her hair just dark brown, it was a rich chestnut color that seemed to sparkle in the sun. Her green eyes turned bright and twinkled, beautiful like emeralds, but held as much temptation as absinthe. Her face was not pale, it was the soft color of ivory. This happened to be the second that Edmund realized he was in love with Princess Naeve Siobhan Reagan.

He held her face tighter in his grasp, and leaned towards her so that their lips were almost touching for the second time that day.

"You are the most evil, stubborn person I have ever met," he watched as her shocked expression turned slightly hurt. "but I love you." He closed the space between their lips, and kissed her softly. Naeve was in utter and complete shock at first, but when he started to pull away, she placed her hand behind his neck and pulled him back to her. She melted into him, and threw all of her emotions into the kiss: her sadness for leaving, her fear for what she was going to do, her determination to save her people and her sister, and finally her unspoken love for Edmund. Her tears mixed with his, and she broke away, laying her head on his chest. He wrapped his arms protectively around her, and sighed.

"Promise me you will keep yourself safe, no matter what happens." he said with some difficulty. Naeve looked into his determined, but deeply saddened eyes.

"I promise." She flinched as the door was flung open by an exasperated Peter. Edmund kept his arms around her, and glanced quizzically at his brother.

"I know why Rabadash wants Naeve for his wife." Edmund's arms tensed. "The messenger has demanded that she leave with her things at once. Before they ride to Tashbaan, they must make a stop at Anvard." Naeve turned her head sharply to look at Peter as he mentioned her home. "She is to have a coronation." She became confused.

"Why will the coronation be at Anvard?" she asked, knowing that she would be a ruler of Calormen for marrying Prince Rabadash. Peter turned to look at her.

"With your father dead, and you being the eldest sister, you are now the Queen of Archenland."

**Alright, there was this chapter, and I just want to clear some things up:**

**Many people have asked me why Naeve liked Edmund so fast. My explanation is that after her conversation with him in his room, she finally realizes that he really does care about her.**

**Also, I know that because this is the "Rabadash time" that it is supposed to be during The Horse and His Boy. It's not; I took out the royalty at Anvard so my story would work.**

**I hope that helps! Review please!**


	12. Royal Farewell

Naeve stared out the window of her carriage, her eyes unseeing. The image of her sister was etched in her mind: her curls the color of honey bouncing as she laughed, her blue eyes always sparkling. Now the image changed; the hair turned dull, the eyes glazed over, and the mouth open, but the laugh never coming out. Naeve shuddered, and tried to think of something else.

Her mind drifted to Edmund, naturally. She recalled the first time she saw him, how she couldn't believe he could be so mean to her. He had surprised her more than she let on when he actually apologized. The real surprise came when she went up to his room after she stabbed him, and she found out that he cared about her. She then thought about his self-sacrificing act on the battlefield to save her life. Naeve felt her heart fall when she realized that Edmund was an amazing person; an amazing person that could never belong to her.

The carriage shuddered to a stop, and Naeve was sort-of dragged out of it. She stiffened and brushed herself off, trying to maintain whatever dignity she had left. She smoothed out the wrinkles in her dress that she had changed into for her coronation, took a deep breath, and walked forward. A guard took her by the elbow, but she glared cooly at him.

"I can walk, thank you." she spit, icily. Naeve entered the castle and willed the tears in her eyes to not spill over as she looked upon her people. The throne room was echoing with cheers as she walked down the center aisle, hope lighting the faces of all generations of Archenland. She kept a brave face as she walked toward her would-be throne to meet Peter.

The Pevensies had insisted on attending the immediate coronation. It only seemed right that High King Peter the Magnificent should crown Naeve, due to the fact that there was no higher royalty that could do it, and Narnia was a sister-country to Archenland. As she got closer, she saw that not only Peter was waiting to greet her, but so were the other three. Naeve couldn't bring herself to look at them now, allowing her mask to crack. She kept a steady pace forward, until at last, she was standing before Peter.

"Kneel." His voice rang with kingly authority, but his eyes were soft. She knelt at his feet, and he took the crown off of its velvet pillow. "I, High King Peter the Magnificent of Narnia, give the people of Archenland their ruler, Queen Naeve Siobhan Reagan the Dauntless."

She felt the small golden circlet be placed lightly atop her dark hair, and Peter continued, "Love live Queen Naeve." She rose to the repeated cries of that line, and turned to face the crowd. She waited a moment, and then slowly raised her hands. The voices died down almost instantly, and Naeve made sure her own was going to be steady before she spoke.

"Though it is upon grave tidings that I have come to this position, I promise that a brighter time is upon us. Calormen no longer has a quarrel with Archenland, nor will it ever in my lifetime." Naeve paused as joyful cheers resounded through the people. She took a breath and continued, her voice ringing with the same authority that Peter's had. "The Tisroc has agreed to end this battle, lest I agree to give his son, Prince Rabadash, my hand in marriage. I have accepted, willing there to be no more bloodshed among innocent people." This time, low murmurs broke out, and Naeve spoke again. "Do not worry, for now there will finally be peace between Narnia, Archenland, and Calormen."

She turned to Peter who stood by her side, and he added, "If Archenland is at a truce with Calormen, then there is no reason that Narnia stands against them for this quarrel."

The murmurs lessened as the people began to hope that everything would be as she said. Naeve's heart was breaking even more than it already had that day as she saw the unbelievable trust that her people had in her.

"The battle is over, enemies turned friends. Now is the time for celebrations, not troubles. Be merry my friends, and enjoy each other's company. The bad times have ended."

With that, she slowly descended the small steps and walked back down the center aisle where her carriage was waiting. Choruses of "Long live Queen Naeve" rang out from every direction. When she stepped outside, she stopped and wrapped her arms around her torso, willing herself to hold her head together and also the remains of her heart. She gasped as she felt a hand on her shoulder, and whirled around.

Peter was standing there, a somewhat sheepish look on his face, an expression she'd never seen on him.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you." Naeve shook her head.

"It's fine. I just didn't hear you behind me." He smiled at her, so many emotions on his face that Naeve couldn't read them.

"Thank you."

"For what?" she asked, quizzically.

"For ending his battle. You are the most noble person I've ever met. Moreso than myself, even. I felt like I had no right to stand next to you up there, let alone _crown_ you."

Naeve looked at him in shock, and then gratitude. "Thank you, Peter. Though I wouldn't go_ that_ far... and I already knew I was more noble than you." she joked half-heartedly, trying to smile. He smiled back.

"There's the Naeve we've come to know and love."

The guard walked over to her and opened the door of the carriage. Naeve looked at Peter, and though she didn't really know him as much as she did the others, she felt a wave of sadness and threw her arms around him in a very un-queen-like fashion. Surprised, he hugged her back. They said their goodbyes and then he stepped aside to reveal Lucy standing in the doorway, biting her lip. Naeve tried to smile and felt her eyes fill up with tears again. Lucy bounded over and flung herself at Naeve, enveloping her in a huge hug.

"Oh, you _must_ write to us! And of course we'll be at the wedding, so it shouldn't be _too_ long until we see each other again." Lucy said, tears rolling down her face. With her final goodbye, she walked over to Peter, who put his arm around her, to let Susan have her turn. Susan smiled and hugged her.

"I'll miss having you around the castle. I know you've only been with us for a couple days, but you've made everything so much more exciting."

Naeve was having trouble keeping her heart from tearing in half as she looked at the faces of her friends. Susan stepped aside, leaving Edmund standing near the doorway. Very subtly, the other three Pevensies snuck back in the castle, leaving the two of them alone. Edmund walked toward her slowly, and his eyes held hers. Naeve couldn't find her voice to speak, and got the impression that he couldn't either. She felt her carefully-crafted mask break open, and her emotions pour through allowing small tears to slowly fall. Edmund pulled her to his chest and held his arms securely around her body, as if he knew that she would break in two if he didn't. She buried her face in his chest, listening to his rapid heart beat, wondering if he knew that hers had stopped and would never start again.

The guard cleared his throat and made an impatient grab for her arm, and Edmund held her tighter for a second before letting her go. Her body wanted her to throw her arms back around him and stand on her tiptoes to press her lips to his, but her mind held back. Naeve told herself that she was engaged and that would hardly be proper behavior, but the real reason was because she knew she wouldn't be able to leave his side. The guard wrenched her back by her arm, and she turned slowly before climbing into the carriage.

As Fallon started to pull it away, Naeve turned back to wave. She stopped short when she caught a glimpse of Edmund's expression: his face was emotionless, but his eyes told of the anguish ripping through him. Naeve turned back forward, and felt a sob rise up her throat.

Her heart shattered.

**Sorry for the wait, everyone! My internet was down for a while. Please Review!**


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